Fred Jackson, the NFL's oldest running back, wants to play 3-4 more seasons

Pittsford, N.Y. — Usually, things don't work out like this in football.

Running backs don't usually play (or at least play well) until they're 33 years old. Usually players from Division III schools don't have long NFL careers. And usually a team that just added two running backs in the offseason and has a soon-to-be 27-year-old star in the backfield wouldn't extend the contract of the oldest running back in the NFL.

But players like Fred Jackson, who signed a one-year contract extension to stay with the Bills through 2015, don't come around often.

"I just love to play this game," Jackson said. "Usually when guys get to be my age they’re just about ready to kind of shut it down and not come out here and get beat up like we do at training camp, but I wake up every day and I love it."

Jackson has been with the Bills since he got an invite to training camp in 2006. He bounced around indoor football leagues and NFL Europa before getting his shot with the Bills and hasn't looked back.

In 2013, Jackson had a career-high nine touchdowns for the Bills. And while he's the oldest running back in the NFL at age 33, 14 running backs have more career carries than Jackson, so "old" might not be the best descriptor for the former Coe College star.

"I wouldn’t say (the word "old") to him to his face," Bills coach Doug Marrone said. "Age is a number for him. He really doesn’t seem that way. The way he runs and the way he prepares himself is a credit to how he takes care of his body."

Jackson signed a contract Wednesday that takes him one step closer to spending his entire career with the Bills, one of his main goals. The contract will reportedly pay him $2.6 million with incentives that could bring that number higher.

The Bills have another running back with an expiring contract: 2010 first-round draft pick C.J. Spiller is in the final year of his deal and will be 27 next week. With Anthony Dixon, Bryce Brown and now Jackson under contract through 2015, it's fair to wonder where Spiller fits into the picture.

Of course, Jackson isn't going to be around forever. He stood at the podium on Wednesday with his wife and four kids watching on and pondered how much longer he planned to play in the NFL.

"I want to continue to play as long as possible," Jackson said. "If I can get three or four more years I’ll be happy, but we’ll see what happens."